. . lz war crimes in the eastern democratic republic of congo, an exclusive report on atrocities committed by m23 rebels. . hello. you're watching al jazeera live from doha. also ahead - two men sentenced to death for war crimes during bangladesh's war for independence. >> fears violence in yemen could lead to civil war, and... >> i'm reporting on how the

crisis in madagascar put society's vulnerable at risk of exploitation. >> rebels fought out of their stronghold in the democratic republic of congo stand accused of committing atrocities during their retreat. the military pushed m23 rebels from the eastern town of bunagana near uganda in the past few days. troops say they discovered bodies in freshly dug graves. malcolm webb, al jazeera, has this report from rumanagabo in the eastern drc. >> this patch of push next to a former m23 rebel base likes bike any other. something more sinister lies within. the soldier leads us to the body of a man laying in a shallow grave. he clearly died recently.

the smell is unpleasant. it looks like he was tied up with his arms behind his back and legs died together at the moment he died. there's blood coming from his head. it looks like he was executed. nearby soldiers in villages say four more bodies were visible in the hole before rain buried them in mud. there are many more throughout the surrounding bush, they say. it's next to a barracks that the rebels took from the government a year ago. a few days ago the rebels fled, the army moved in. some rebels who surrendered said the m23 executed the rebels. >> translation: we tried to contact m23, but they have not answered phone calls since government forces fought them back. >> people around the base say living under m23 rules were tough. the rebels were cruel. >> translation: they had prisoners there.

we heard they killed prisoners - they killed them all. >> they would beat people for nothing and arrest people and make them disappear. >> the world's largest u.n. peacekeeping forces in congo have been helping the government fight m23. the u.n. has not managed to stop atrocities in the 14 years it's been here, but will find out what happened. >> we all know that bodies have been found in the area. the area has been controlled by m23 for a year, and it has been taken by the army a few days ago. on the u.n. side we form a team which will investigate. from the results we'll tell you what was discovered. >> the government says it's investigating too. but war crimes are common in congo's conflict. the full story may never beuncovered. two men have been sentenced

to death in absentia for war crimes committed during bangladesh's war of independence. they've been found guilty by a tribunal for the murder of a dozen intellectuals in 1971. one of the mean, chowdhury mueen-uddin, is a prominent muslim leader living in the u.k. he fled after the 9-month war. the other defendant, ashrafuz zaman khan lives in the united states. joining us from london via skype is a man whose father was abducted and killed during the 1971 war. thank you for being with us. this is an incredibly personal case for you. what is your response to the verdict? >> i think i have a mixed feeling because, you know, it's one step ahead. we have been - my family and other victim's family demanded the trials for a long time.

more than 40 years. i was very young in "71. this case and verdict was different to the other one, the previous one, because the two men are absconding, they are living abroad and they denied they have been involved in wrong doings. the verdict is there, yes, but it's not a closure in that sense, because there are many steps ahead. if they appeal, whether they defend or anything or reject. in the end what happens to the verdicts. they are there. but they are - there are issues, left unresolved. >> one of those issues being that the u.k. has a history of refusing requests, especially when the death sentence is involved. what is your plan to do next?

>> i have been involved with some other, you know, children of the families. we have an organization, activist platform within validation, outside as well. i'm linked to other activists who demand the trials and the - you know, the identification of these people. i am in the u.k. now. a lot of other people who have fled post 1971 just to avoid persecution. the demand will be on. it's not a question of extradition. i think the laws, particularly for chowdhury mueen-uddin and ashrafuz zaman khan - i think the two governments - the u.s. and the u.k. - they should have an investigation to the circumstances in which they actually fled bangladesh, and sort refuge in their countries - did they provide accurate information at that time? the onus is on the two governments

to see whether - i mean, from my point of view, and a lot of people in bangladesh. they have falsified information when entering into the u.s. and u.k. that needs to be investigated - that there are citizens in the countries. was that based on wrongful evidence and, you know, falsified documents. >> when you look at the case, they are political. the government says they are necessary to heel the wounds of the past. they cause massive upheaval in the country. do you think they do bring enough closure to make them worthwhile? >> it doesn't - you are right. but it is kind of one step, because, you know, the trials have been demanded. the trials are on. now, about being political, that is debated. of course the issue is political. the creation of bangladesh was political. my father was killed because of his beliefs. he didn't join the war directly.

it was ideological war. and because of that, my father and other intellectuals were picked up and killed during the last day, before, you know, the victory in december. so the issue would still be on. now, what remains to be seen is there's elections coming and we don't know what will happen, the outcome of the elections. there should be a process for the trials to go on. you know, there should beconstitutional provisions. the tribunals should continue. and we have a few people who have been put on trial, and undergoing trial. there are many, many more. there's still a lot of evidence around in bangladesh. a lot of people are alive who can give testimony. the process needs to be on. >> very interesting to speak to you. thanks for joining us from london. the government of the

pakistani province which borders afghanistan is going to block the nato route. the government says it will review ties and cooperation with the u.s. we are joined by our correspondent in islamabad. clearly this killing of the pakistani leaderer sparked a strong reaction. what measures is the government taking to display their displeasure to the u.s.? >> it's two fold. i think the government in islamabad is content to continue with the rhetoric, to continue with the strong condemn nations against the united states. i'm not sure that the government led by nawaz sharif wants to go as far as the provin shall government of kpk province, which is lead by the former cricketer imran khan.

who swept into power in may's election. they, as you have rightly been saying, wants to shut the nato supply routes that crisscross the province and the country in process to u.s. drone strikes. now, if that does happen, it could be a replay of what we saw in 2012 when the pakistani government did just that in response to the u.s. killing 24 pakistani soldiers in a cross-boarder raids, and pakistan blocked supply routes. relationship plunged to lows. if we cut to two weeks ago when the prime minister nawaz sharif was in washington, it looked like the relationship between islamabad and dc was improving, but the drone strike and the death of the taliban leader, who was willing to engage in peace talks affected that in a major way. >> we have the taliban talking

with repriceals. what fear that that will happen? >> i think, frankly it's not a question of if the pakistani taliban is going to carry out violent repriceals, it's a question of when. in tribal areas we are hearing reports of villagers - particularly in north and south waziristan - fleeing the area for fear of attacks. peshawar, the capital of the province - security has been beefed up. the streets of this busy, bustling city is quiet. there's a lot of fear that the pakistani taliban, a group which has, over the past few years has been able to carry out extraordinary attacks in pakistan, claiming thousands of lives will retaliate in a violent way. there's a lot of tension in the air in pakistan. >> that was live from islamabad. >> arab league foreign ministers

are set to meet on sunday to discuss the crisis in syria. effort to get both sides of the conflict to take part in peace talks have been ramping up. arabic executive lakhdar brahimi held talks with the head of the syrian coalition. opposition groups are split on whether to attend the geneva ii negotiations scheduled for later this month. >> u.s. secretary of state john kerry is set to visit egypt for the first time things mohamed morsi was forced out of power. his visit on sunday will last a matter of hours. relations between the two countries has been strained following a decision by the u.s. to withdraw military aid to egypt. more ahead on the program - including mexico cracking down on drug crimes. many say gangs are finding a new way to make money. and... >> i'm kath turner in new york. officials with the marathon are battling the fallout from two

unprecedented event - hurricane sandy, and the boston marathon bombings.

hello again. you're watching al jazeera. these are the top stories - soldiers in the democratic republic of congo accusing m23 rebels of committing atrocities as they fled government forces. the rebels have been pushed from their eastern stronghold and are being chased by the conningo lease army. >> two men have been sentenced in absenta.

chowdhury mueen-uddin lives in the u.k., and the other uk lives in the u.s. >> pakistan's government says it will review ties with the u.s. after a drone attack killed a taliban leader. it's under pressure from opposition parties calling for nato supply routes to be blocked. >> a tribal leader in yemen said 100 people have been killed in three weeks of fighting around damaj. ambulances can't get into the town to treat large numbers of civilian casualties, we have this report from the capital. >> this is the only video of the latest fighting in the town of damaj. it's a stronghold for muslim conservatives, the salafi, and has been shelled by shia muslim

rebels. it is said to be a home of conservative parties and al qaeda. >> translation: these are foreign extremists calling us heretics, they are trying to drag the country into a sunni-shi'a war. >> these are houthi rebels. they were a marginal group a few years ago. this display of force shows they are one of the biggest armed factions in yemen. they have all sorts of weapons, including tanks, artillery and rocket launches. the yemeni government accused iran of backing the hoouthy's to destablilize the country. >> salafis made it clear that they are angry, and want the government to send in the army

to protect civilians and the fighting. it's too late for people like that man, who is from damaj. two of his sons were killed in the fighting. his house was destroyed. he is furious. >> translation: we will fight. it will be sectarian war across the country. we will avenge loved ones who are killed. the county has been weakened by years of instability. the government is under pressure to step in and restore order. >> people here are concerned if the fighting continues in damaj, the country could slip into civil war. request >> the effects of a political crisis in madagascar it beyond

the government. more young women are selling in order to survive. >> life drives people to take desperate measures. few jobs because of the political and economic crisis. some parents can't afford to look after their families, giving teenagers no choice but to make a living on the street, selling their bodies, so they can eat. >> robyn was 13 when she came to the city trying to make a living washing laundry. >> translation: we were poor. my parents don't have money. >> in a country where 92% of the population survives on less than 2%, the young women accept as little as $0.25 for sex. families are under extraordinary pressure to make ends meet. >> translation: children are the first victims in the crisis.

families can't cope. exploitation of kids through profit tuition, labour, begging and violence is rising. >> this woman says the cultural tradition of child brides means some view sex with a young woman or girl as acceptable. it's something she thinks the government does not take seriously. >> translation: the cases are not always reported to us. people don't consider it a crime. like tourism, they consider it a normal activity and cultural practice. >> marrying or having sex with someone under 18 is illegal with someone in madagascar. the awareness campaign has been cut back because of the crisis. there may not be hard facts and figures, but social workers tell the same story - that the crisis put society's most vulnerable at greater risk of exploitation.

>> this is one of the few places of refuge. uniself runs a place with people can learn about their rights. it is hopeful there'll be political stability, a return of donor money before more young people are forced on to the streets. >> the french president called an emergency minister's meeting in the coming hours in response to the murder of two french journalists in mali. >> francis hollande called the killings despicable. two were abducted after interviewing a toour ag rebel leader in kidal. mexico's crackdown on drugs is fuelling a wave of crime - extortion. police tackle drug gangs, lower ranking criminals are swindling money using fake kidnapping. a group has set up a call center

to help victims deal with the issue. >> scams, imtim dags and extortion. i regular part of life. in june this man's mum received a ransom call from a man claim to have kidnapped one of her children. a quick number of text messages made them realise it was fake. >> it makes them feel vulnerable, you look behind you, you check the phone calls. there's a sense of vulnerability. it's terrible. it messes with the routine of your life. >> even though most of the extortion calls are fake, high crime rates mean mexicans assume the worse, and many pay ransoms averaging $2 to $5. >> telephone extortions are one of mexico's fastest growing

activities. most have stories to tell. it's the most common crime. >> this woman deals with the issue every day. she's one of around 50 specialist who work at a call center helping victims of telephone extortions. they advise more than 600 callers a day on what to do when they get a threatening call. operators understand what the callers go through. >> sometimes i feel nervous when my phone rings and i don't know who is calling me. no one is ever prepared to get an extortion call. at the end of the work day i'm comforted for having helped peep deal with the issue -- people deal with the issue. >> the call center was started in 2007 in response to the surge in extortions. it's offended by private and state money, and the group's president is confident they are

winning the battle. >> not more than a year and a half from today, this type of crime will disappear, will be eradicated from the mexican society. >> that day can't come soon enough. life in mexico can be difficult, without having to feel nervous every time the phone rings. david mercer. al jazeera in mexico city. >> in cuba privately run cinemas and gaming cafes have been shut down. they want to restore order, discipline and obedience in the business center. >> raul castro has implemented reforms, and the ban resulted in job losses and caused anger with the public. >> more than 40,000 runners are trying to get a good night sleep

already the new york city marathon. chartize are looking -- charities are looking forward to making money again. >> count down to race day. rupers from around the world are ready for sunday's new york city marathon, and the wait has been longer than usual. last year hurricane sandy threw everything into chaos. the starting line is on staten island. initially mayor michael bloomberg insisted the race should go ahead because it pumped hundreds of millions into the local economy. >> residents are furious. >> we are pulling bodies out of the water. >> less than 48 hours after the race was due to start... >> we will not conduct the 2012 new york city marathon. >> competitors complained about money wasted on flights, accommodation and entry fees. every year 20,000 runners register with the charity.

athlete must raise a minimum of $3,000 for a spot in the race. when the marathon was called off runners qualified for this year's race, meaning fundraising was not compulsory and organizations are missing out. >> we doubled our efforts on facebook and twitter - print advertisements. every possible awareness vehicle we could get our hands on and afford. we came up short. >> last year this man raised money for charity, but was uncomfort asking friends and family to donate again. >> we set up the tends, generators and food next to people who lost their homes. it was inappropriate. >> officials are not only dealing with financial shortfalls, the bomb explosions at the boston marathon in april are having an impact on the race here. >> closed-circuit television was

crucial in identifying two brothers responsible for the attack. new york oficialt responded accordingly and will watch closely from police headquarters. in central park there'll be more police station, helicopters, dogs and bag checks. the race is not just about logistics. >> it's an emotional, positive day, a memory. >> alongside the tributes many hope after a troubled year the world famous marathon can get back on track. >> sea's workforce is getting -- south korea's workforce is getting older. the number of people finding work has doubled as the ageing population is the fastest going in the world. the second part of our theory on the world of senior citizens, we have this report from seoul. >> she may not look it, but this woman is 62. 15 years after closing her own

cafe she decided to come back to work. as well as earning extra money, it's a change from grandchild duty. >> translation: it keeps mee feeling young. i meet people and make money. as long as i can, i want to work. >> she is not alone. a job mall for people over 50s is packed. each has their own reasons. >> translation: i'm in good shape. do i look like someone over 70? >> >> translation: my son was married last month. now i have a daughter-in-law, i need a job to save face. >> south korea is ageing faster than other countries. the over 65 makes up 12% of the country. the government is encouraging employers to hire older workers. >> translation: the government provides half the salary for the first four months of the year. $600 a month for the first

six months of regular employment. >> for many working in old age, it's not about shifting demographics, it's a question of survival. south korea has poor levels of welfare for the elderly, leaving those at the bottom looking to scratch a living by any means they can. >> you see them all around seoul, figures pushing carts ladened with other people's junk. she does this every day, followed by her disabled daughter. on a good day she makes maybe $6. >> translation: my other daughters told me to send her to an institution and live comfortably. i didn't do that. now they don't call saying they cannot bear her, not even for a single day. >> sea ranks 33rd out of 34 economies. as the population gets older,

improving the provision gets harder. many are dest jiped to keep working whether they like it or not. >> and a reminder they can keep up to date with the latest news and programs on the website. there it is, aljazeera.com. hello, i'm libby casey. the capitol has been buzzing with high profile congressional hearings on nsa surveillance and the problems with the dare's rollout. in the halls of congress there's a heavy weight lobbying campaign under way to push comprehensive immigration reform. it's week applied by the chamber of commerce is forward.u.s. among others. it's a group founded by